Analysis: Lego sets are better than gold, stocks

Did Santa bring your children Lego sets for Christmas? You might want to consider not letting them open them. Not only will you save yourself from invariably stepping on them, but you could save for your kid’s college education.

According to an analysis by theUK Telegraph, the building-block toys are a better investment than gold or the stock market.

The FTSE 100 (an index of 100 companies on the London Stock Exchange — similar to the S&P 500 on the New York Stock Exchange) has increased in value an average of 4.1 percent since February 2000, according to the Telegraph analysis. By comparison, Lego sets kept in perfect condition have increased in value 12 percent each year during the same period. If you invested in gold, you received a 9.6 percent annual increase in value, according to the Telegraph.

The secondary market for Lego sets, especially ones that are no longer in production, is the reason why Legos are better than gold. For instance, the value of the Cafe Corner Lego set, which originally sold for $139.99 in 2007, can fetch as much as $1,600 on sites such asBrickPicker.com, as long as the box is unopened. But where’s the fun in that?